Fastener device



Jan. 22, 1957 E. F. PFAFF FASTENER DEVICE Filed Dec. 12, 1955 Avrewraz: [4 #52 A fa r;

United States Patent FASTENER DEVICE Elmer F. Pfatf, Mantua, Ohio Application December 12, 1955, Serial No. 552,501

Claims. (Cl. 1-44.5)

This invention relates to a tool for projecting fasteners such as studs, pins and the like into wood, concrete, masonry, steel and any other suitable material, and more particularly to accessory equipment for attachment to such an explosive actuated tool to extend its usefulness.

One type of fastener used with tools of this type involves the use of not only a headed pin but also of a hollow coupling or bushing. This coupling is of cylindrical shape open at one end for reception therein of the driven pin while the other end is constricted to engage with the head of the pin for the purpose of impaling the two parts of the fastener against or upon the work piece. The hollow coupling ordinarily is provided with any means for securing other materials or objects thereon. Such means may take the form of either internal or external threads such as 3 or transverse openings and the like. A typical fastener of this type is shown in Figure l of the drawing and consists of a pin 1 and the hollow coupling 2.

The driving of fasteners of this type ordinarily involves first holding of the hollow coupling against the work and then operation of the tool for driving of the headed pin to impale the coupling. Heretofore, this has been done in a very awkward manner and with a plurality of rather difiicult to assemble and handle adapter parts.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to convert an ordinary stud driving too] of the general purpose type into a tool for handling such hollow couplings with ease and convenience. Another object is to enable the driving of such couplings with reliability and safety.

Other objects and advantages and also the manner in which these objects of this invention are attained will become apparent from the description which follows and the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational side view of a stud driving tool partly in cross section showing one embodiment of this invention together with a typical fastener driven into the work surface;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, partial cross sectional view of the adapter accessory of Figure 1; p 7

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III of Figure 2; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal, partially cross sectional view of another embodiment of this invention.

In accordance With this invention there is provided a coupling applicator accessory or holder. The holder is adapted to be positioned or attached at the muzzle of a stud driving tool for reception of a hollow coupling for the purpose of disposing that coupling in front of the muzzle of the tool barrel in alignment with the bore of the barrel. One end of the holder is constructed to enable the holder to be positioned at the muzzle of the tool barrel, while the other end of the holder is provided with an access opening leading into a bore in the holder alignable with the bore of the tool barrel. The bore is adapted to receive a coupling in proper alignment with the bore of the tool barrel.

To retain the inserted coupling in the holder without 2,778,021 Patented Jan. 22, 1957 interference with the insertion of the coupling, the holder is provided with an inwardly extending yieldable retainer. One preferred form of the retainer is a hardened steel ball mounted in a slot or hole in the side wall of the holder in such a Way as to permit the ball to protrude into the bore yieldably. This ball is held in place by a split ring or any other suitable means. This embodiment is adapted to be constructed entirely of metal particularly resistant to wear. The retainer may also take the form of an O-ring or the like of any suitable resilient material such as rubber, polyethylene or the like. Instead of an O-ring, there may be provided a continuous coiled coil metal spring or ring. Any one or more of such ring forms of retainer is mounted in the holder, each in an individual internal circumferential groove in the bore from whence the resilient ring protrudes' into the bore.

The bore of the holder accessory device of this invention is proportioned so as toadapt it for both'readily receiving and releasing a hollow coupling. The main part of the bore is dimensioned for suflicient clearance but without permitting the coupling to become excessively misaligned With respect to the bore of the barrel. For example, for a coupling having a nominal external diameter of /2 of an inch the holder is provided with a bore having a diameter of about of an inch leaving a clearance of about 0.007 of an inch on a side or all around. The length of the bore adapted to receive the coupling is substantially equal to or somewhat greater than the length of the coupling. The end of the bore at the access opening at which the holder abuts the work surface, is of somewhat enlarged diameter. This is for the purpose of allowing clearance for the lateral expansion 5 of one end of the coupling caused by impact of the head of the pin as it is driven into the perforated coupling. For a coupling of /2 of an inch outside diameter, the enlarged part of the bore such as 109 (Figure 2) or 209 (Figure 4) has a diameter of about of an inch, leaving a clearance of about 0.045 of an inch on a side or all around. This enlargement enables the tool with its applicator to be extricated easily from the driven fastener.

One embodiment of the accessory applicator device of this invention is shown in Figure 1 attached as a part of a typical stud driving tool 4 such as, for example, the tool described in copending patent application, Serial No. 355,034, filed May 14, 1953 by R. J. Kopf et al. However, the applicator may be used with any suitable type of stud driver.

As described in greater detail in that application, the tool 4 includes a front housing 18 and a rear housing 19 pivotally engaged at the pin 61 so as to permit opening of the tool intermediate of its ends for the purpose of loading the tool, extraction of the powder cartridge, and reloading. The rear housing-l9 includes the handle or grip 20 and the operating trigger 46. The front housing 18 includes the front housing tube 54, and the barrel. 22. Also mounted in association with the front housing 18 for limited reciprocation on the front portion of the barrel 22, is the safety tube 70 which carries thereon an outwardly extending hollow shield 24. The shield 24 v has side walls 24a leaving the front end of the shield 24 open for abutment with the work surface 25'. Also included in the tool is a safety shield or barrel spring 26 for the purpose of urging the assembled tube 70 and shield 24 forwardly with respect to the front end of the outer tube 54.

Mounted on the muzzle of the barrel 22 is the accessory holder or applicator adapter in acordance with this invention. This is attached to the muzzle by any suitable positive means preferably as screw threads. The outer diameter of accessory 100 is somewhat greater than that of barrel 22 and also greater than the internal diameter of the front end of the tube 70 where it is assembled with shield 24. Thus, adapter 100 will also serve as a means for retaining the safety shield asembly on the barrel 22 thereby limiting the forward motion of the assembly as the front end of barrel tube 54 limits its rearward motion. v V I The axial length of the receiving boreconsisti'ng of por tions 102 and 109 of holder 100 is suificient to accommodate the longest coupling tube ordinarily employed, In correspondence with this length the side walls 24a of shield 24 extend forwardly to lie in what might be called a muzzle plane perpendicular to the axis of the bore of a barrel and also including the front end of the holder or barrel extension 10 0. I

In Figure 1, the" coupling 2 and its pin 1 are shown imaled upon the work surface 25, while the tool 4 i shown withdrawn from the work as it would be after the envirrg operation. In this position, the toolfis' ready torreloading and ready to be thrust a ainst the work surface again at another place for driving. in another pin and fastener assembly. p p

The details of construction of holder 100 are shown in the enlarged view of Figure 2 where the nature of its hollow cylindrical structure is obvious. Holder 100 is provided at one end with means for attaching (it positioning the holder at the muzzle of a tool barrel. Such means preferably takes the form of screw threads 101. The bore consisting of passageway 102 and recess 109 of the holder is" adapted to receive any suitable coupling 2 which can be inserted therein at the access opening 103 at which holder 100is adapted to abut with the work surface 25 whenthe' holder is positioned at the muzzle of the tool barrel asshown in Figure 1. The holder also includes a steel ball 104 for retaining the coupling 2 in the bore 102' until the tool operator has accomplished the driving operation and is ready to withdraw the tool including holder 100 from. the impaled coupling 2. Ball 104 is movably mounted in a radially extending hole I05- in the side wall of the holder 100. At one end of this hole, the" ball is kept from falling into the bore 102 by means of inwardly extending lips 108. At the other end of'the hole 105the' ball is not only retained but is also thrust laterally inwardly to extend into the bore 102 by means" of the resilient ring 106 the ends of which at the split 107 act on the ball. For mounting of ring 106 holder 100 is provided with an external circumferential' groove 110;

Adjacent theiaccess opening 103 bore 102 is providedwith an enlargement or recess 109' for the purpose of preventing binding between holder 1 and coupling 2 which is likely to occur on account of the lateral dis tention or spreading of the end of the coupling. that occurs when the head of the impaling pin- 1 strikesthe constricted end of the orificed coupling 2.

With theh'ol der '0 screwthreadedly attached to the muzzle of the tool as shown in Figure 1, the tool operato: in' preparation for driving need merely press the couplin'g2into the access opening 103 until it is properly seatedin the bore passageway 102 in frictional engagement with the inwardly protruding ball 105. With'couplin'g'Z thus emplaced in holder 100 the tool; loaded witha suitablefastener pin l and powder cartridge; is next-thrust againstthe worksurface 25 seas to put boththe-access opening'l'03of. holder 100- and also the open rim ot theshield side walls 242: into abutment with the worlo sur-- face. When trigger 46- is pulled the pin 1 is-driven' intothe threaded opening 3 of coupling 2,-impaling both of them asshown (Fig. 1) upon the-worksurface-ZS. In-- asmuch as coupling 2 is ordinarily softer than pin l, a deformation 5 invariably occurs.

In the embodiment of Figure 4 the holder- 200; having.

an outer diameter adapted'to restrain the shield 24; like wise includes a bore consisting of portions 209 and-202 4 for reception of a hollow coupling 2, and also includes an access opening 203 and attachment threads 201 at the opposite end. For the purpose of retaining a coupling in the bore passageway 202, holder 200 is provided with an internal circumferential groove 205 and also any suitable resilient ring 204 such as a plastic or rubber O-ring or the like carried in groove 205 in such a way as to permit a portion of the ring to protrude into the bore passageway 202. Adjacent thp access opening 203, holder 200 is provided with a lateral enlargement 209 sufficient to prevent binding bet-ween holder 200 and the driven coupling 2. In operation the holder of this embodiment is substantially identical with the previous inbodiinent'.

Although specific embodiments now believed to be preferred have been described in the foregoing, it will be understod that other changes and modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in the appended claims". A

What is claimed is; V p I 1-. A coupling applicator" for securing fasteners of the type described including an orificed coupling aiid a headed impaling" pin; comprising a barrel eiitensiori ineiiieerene end or which is adapted to abut with a work surface and having at its other end means for attaching said nie'r'nber at the muzzle of the barrel of a powder a'ctuated driving tool having a barrel bore for ejectidfi of said pin, a assagewa through said extension member of a diameter larger than said barrel here and iii aiiial alignment therewith when said member is attached at said m zzle, said pasageway be g' adapted to receive one end of said coupling in substantial aiiial alig'riiiient with said barrel bore, means on said ex'teiisio'd member for yieldably retaining sate coupon in said manner in" superanti'al axial alignment ahead" of said muzzle to enalile said pin to be" driven into the orifice of said coupling upon actuation of said tool, and a recess at said abutting end ofsa'idi member in; registry with said passa eway to receive the other end" of said cou ling, said recess being ofi a diarh'et'e'r sufficiently in excess or the diameter of said passageway to prevent resistance to separation of said barrel extension rn intser afid' said coupling after the fastenor is driven; said pase ewayandreeess having an overall length" atle'ast substantially eqnal tq the length of said couplingwhereby the entire coup ing: is receivable therein" substantially flush with said first end of said member andin abunnentwifathe work surface. p

2. "rite extension or claim 1' wherein fli'e' retainer rh'ea us incl des at least o'r'ie deten'firiiemb'er carried in said exten'siorijrt'ehiher' to protrude yieldably' into the pasageof the extension rdqnt'efianangr eiig'agirig. with a couplingof the type d 'e'sfc'fib'ed; V V v p 3. The device of clairri 2 on -rent the detent member is amovahlelia'rtleiied unmarried ina radial aperture in said extension.

4. The device of claim2 wherein the detentmember consists of a ris'iliefit"ahn'ulaieltneiit carried in ati in-' terior circumferential groove of the passageway of the extension.

S. The device of claim 4 wherein the annular element is 'a resilienfo riii'gi entrances-customise are or this'pa'tedt' snares PATENTS 

